1. Field of the Invention
The disclosures herein generally relate to a liquid discharge head and an image forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses such as printers, facsimile machines, copiers, plotters, and multifunction peripherals (MFP) combining one or more of the above functions may be inkjet recording apparatuses corresponding to liquid discharge type image forming apparatuses that use a recording head including a liquid discharge head (liquid droplet discharge head) that discharges liquid droplets, for example.
It is noted that liquid discharge defects may occur at the liquid discharge head when foreign matter enters the liquid discharge head and mixes with liquid contained therein. Thus, the liquid discharge head has a filter member arranged in its channel for filtering the liquid.
For example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2011-025663 (Patent Document 1) discloses a liquid discharge head having a filter member that filters liquid over an entire area of plural liquid chambers in the nozzle array direction, the filter member including plural reinforcement ribs arranged in the nozzle array direction at intervals of at least two of the liquid chambers. The filter member is divided into plural filter regions by the reinforcement ribs.
However, in the case where the filter member is divided into plural filter regions by arranging reinforcement ribs as in Patent Document 1, liquid may be prevented from flowing at portions where the reinforcement ribs are arranged and stagnation may occur so that air bubble discharge performance may be compromised.